This description relates to skateboards, which are used for coasting along sloped surfaces, the skateboard being steered and controlled by the rider varying his foot placement and position on its upper deck.
Early skateboards were constructed of wood and supported by metal wheel assemblies or trucks similar to those used on roller skates. Recent advances in wheel construction, particularly the development of urethane rollers, permit increased control of the traction and maneuverability of the skateboard. These new rollers assure accurate tracking without slippage, and have eliminated the noise previously associated with use of this hobby item. In addition, many skateboards are now produced of glass fiber reinforced resin laminates and other lightweight materials which provide added strength and resiliency. A substantial hobby cult has developed around the skateboard. Both amateur and professional users have developed a repertory of highly difficult maneuvers and contests, such as slalom and downhill races, and acrobatic or "hot dog" demonstrations and contests. This has led to a demand for skateboards having increased opportunities for control by the user and more accurate adjustment features to meet the particular requirements of both the user and the type of performance desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,282, granted to Bostick on Feb. 15, 1966, shows a flat rigid skateboard with longitudinally adjustable wheel carriages. No mention is made of the possibility of the board being flexible or cambered.
Prior skateboards have been cambered, but the degree of camber is controlled solely by the resiliency of the board structure itself and no reinforcement of the camber is provided at the under surface of the skateboard. Normally the central portion of the skateboard between the front and rear truck assemblies is arched upwardly. The nose and tail portion of the board are sometimes curved upwardly or downwardly, depending on the particular application for which the board is designed.
According to the present invention, longitudinally adjustable trucks are provided at one or both ends of a resilient board having a central longitudinal camber. The tracks that adjustably mount the trucks have longitudinal surfaces in engagement with the lower surface of the board. These longitudinal surfaces are complementary to the surface configuration or camber of the skateboard surface to which they are fixed. The tracks, being rigid, reinforce the camber of the board in addition to providing a plane support for the movable truck assemblies. Longitudinal adjustment of a truck therefore varies the camber characteristics of the board as well as the wheel base length. In addition, by narrowing the board at one end over a truck, torsional flexibility can be provided to further modify the turning characteristics of a particular board.